As many people start to reimagine criminal justice and public safety, Homeboy Industries, an LA-based nonprofit, is setting a powerful example of what the justice system could look like if rehabilitation was prioritized over mass incarceration.
Tag: Justice System
An Effort to Abolish Court Fees Grows in California
In February, the L.A.-based Youth Justice Coalition successfully lobbied the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to vote to eliminate most court-related fines and fees, including probation. Three other counties in California’s Bay Area—San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa—have passed similar measures since 2018. But L.A. courts have continued to collect probation fees and other court-related debts.
“We’ve been trying to collect money from people who don’t have it, and they often end up in jail, or harassed or shaken down. We’re trying to fund our governments on the backs of communities of color, and in a post-COVID world, that is just going to be impossible. I shudder to think of the more draconian collection practices to come.”
The Military Failed Vanessa Guillen and Others. It Must Do Better.
Right before her death, Vanessa Guillén told her family that she had been sexually harassed by superiors. She didn’t report it, fearing retribution. Reporting sexual harassment and sexual assaults in the military goes up the chain of command—particularly useless if the perpetrator is a superior.
Since Guillén’s murder was confirmed, current and past service members who experienced sexual assault and harassment have shared their own stories with the viral #IAmVanessaGuillen.
June Medical Services: A Precarious Victory
After yesterday’s fractured opinion, legislatures will continue passing ever-more restrictive laws, and states will press hard to get them back in front of this unsettled Supreme Court.
June Medical Services presented the Court with a second bite at the apple. Louisiana couldn’t get Roberts to bite this time. But there’s a lot of the apples in the tree, and it only takes one.
Trump and McConnell Remain Tone-Deaf to Calls for Justice
Donald Trump is running from calls for justice. Instead, he and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are fixated on our courts and pushing through nominees who they believe will roll back our hard-fought civil rights.
Black Mama’s Bail Out and the Abolition of Cash Bail
When poor women—legally innocent women—can’t pay their bail to get out of jail, whole communities suffer. Here’s what women activists are doing to fix this.
Harvey Weinstein’s Verdict is a Victory. But Is It Enough to Open Our Eyes to the Epidemic of Sexual Assault?
Harvey Weinstein’s conviction is a step in the right direction, but it took powerful, well-resourced women to take down Mr. Weinstein. In order to end the epidemic of sexual violence, we need to invest in research and to support all survivors by creating evidence-based programs to help them to lead full, healthy lives.
Harvey Weinstein Sentenced to 23 Years for Rape and Assault; Feminists and Survivors Rejoice
Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was sentenced on Wednesday to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault. the two primary accusers in the case, were present in the New York courtroom. As the two primary accusers in the case exited the room, attendees in the audience applauded them. This celebratory atmosphere extended beyond the courtroom to the online sphere.
Weinstein Conviction To Be Celebrated, But Does Not Represent Justice for All
Certainly the Weinstein conviction shows progress. And yet, we can’t call it justice, when the harm of the assault can never be undone, when the criminal justice system adds further harm, and when so many cases aren’t even taken seriously enough to be fully investigated.
Harvey Weinstein Found Guilty of Two Felony Sex Crimes in His First Official Conviction
In the first court conviction successfully levied against the movie producer, Harvey Weinstein was found guilty today of two felony sex crimes. Feminists celebrate this undeniable victory and remember the long road that got us to this point.